Pan Roasted Cilantro-Mint Marinated Chicken Thighs

The main dish for the middle eastern theme meal is Pan Roasted Cilantro-Mint Marinated Chicken Thighs. The chicken is marinated in an assortment of spices which lend the middle eastern flavour to it.

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This recipe starts off on the stove and finishes in the oven.

Ingredients

  • 12 chicken thighs
  • 2 inch piece fresh ginger
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup cilantro
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 8 green cardamom pods, seeds removed
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 10 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cups of sliced yellow onion
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup of sliced almonds (toasted) for garnishing – optional

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Source: Jorge Viduenez

Prep time: 20 minutes;  Cook time: 30 minutes;  Yield 12 servings

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Indian Cuisine: Apple Raisin Curry Chicken

The main course for the Indo-Canadian inspired recipes cooked up in the South Arm Cooking Club for seniors is a curry chicken dish.

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This Apple Raisin Curry Chicken is an easy and comforting curry dish. It is a wonderful way to prepare using leftover cooked chicken breasts.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 2 large apples, cored and diced
  • 3 stalks of celery, diced
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
  • 1/4 cup raisins or currants

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P/S: missing ingredient in the above photo: chicken breast (already in oven)

Source: this recipe is adapted from Alex Nixon

Prep time: 30 minutes;  Cook time: 20 minutes;  Serves 4

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Asian Lettuce Cups

For celebration of Chinese New Year, Stella requested a theme of Chinese dishes to be cooked up in the South Arm Cooking Club for Seniors. So, Charlene prepared three Asian dishes and a popular dessert that you find in Chinese restaurants.

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The first dish is an appetizer called Asian Lettuce Cups. Other than lettuce cups, you can also serve the filing in small pita pockets.

Ingredients

Sauce:

  • 1.5 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
  • freshly ground black pepper

Filling:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 2 stalks scallions, finely chopped
  • 1 pound ground turkey or chicken
  • 2 cups mixed vegetables (frozen vegetables are fine)
  • 1/2 green apple, finely diced
  • 1 head iceberg or bib lettuce, leaves washed and separated

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Source: adapted from Jaden Hair’s Steamy Kitchen

Prep time: 30 mins;  Cook time: 6 mins;  Serve 4 to 6

Helmut and Lorna worked on this recipe.

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Chicken Patties

Minoo prepared four dishes in the Gilmore Park Community Kitchen. We made Chicken Patties, a warm salad, a Spinach Cake and a Red Rice Pilaf.

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The Chicken Patties are marvelous. They are fried to crispy. Kids will love the Chicken Patties in their lunch boxes.

Source: unknown

Prep time: 15 minutes; Cook time: 10 minutes; Serve 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 onion, grated
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/3 cup canola oil for frying

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Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Basil

The South Arm Cooking Club for seniors had a celebratory meal on the last cooking session of 2009. As usual, the seniors made 4 dishes in the kitchen. For this kitchen, there are two desserts which I enjoyed most.

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The main dish is a chicken dish called Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Basil.  This chicken dish is fit for a party.

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless chicken breast halves, skinned
  • 1/2 cup fresh goat cheese, about 100 grams
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 basil leaves, shredded or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Sun-Dried Tomato and Mushroom Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 6 sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
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The Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Basil is adapted from Bon Appetit and it serves 4. Marcel, Helmut and Ken worked on this recipe.

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Moroccan Chicken and Rice

The main dish which Minoo planned for the South Arm Community Kitchen is a Moroccan Chicken and Rice dish. We were surprised with the use of winter squash in this rice dish.

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This Moroccan Chicken and Rice dish is a all in a pot dish.  It has protein, vegetable and grain in this dish.  This recipe is adapted from Alive Magazine and it serves 4.

The butternut squash and raisins add sweetness to this rice dish.  This is a good recipe to make use of winter squashes which are in season now.  They are cheap and nutritious.

Here is a tip to peel the tough skin butternut squash.  Microwave the whole squash, on high, for 2 minutes.  This softens the skins, making it easier to peel. (more…)

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Peruvian Cuisine: Chicken in Aji Sauce (Aji De Gallina)

Erika Pereyra is a relatively new member of the South Arm Community Kitchen.  We were glad that she’s sharing some of her favourite Peruvian dishes in the South Arm Community Kitchen.  Erika shared with us that Peruvian cuisine has lots of influences from Spanish cuisine.  One can also find a lot of Japanese and Chinese restaurants in Peru.

I bet you will never guess that Peruvian Cuisine has one of the most diverse in the world and is at the same level of cuisines of the Chinese, Indian, French and Spanish. Lima, the capital of Peru, is referred to as the “gastronomic capital of the Americas”.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBo6_0c1vcQ]

The video above on Peruvian Cuisine is a bit long but I find it interesting that the country of Peru is so rich in gastronomic heritage. Did you know too that Peru is home to about 2000 types of potatoes? Peru accounts for 40% of all potato varieties in the world.

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The first dish which Erika shared with us is called Chicken in Aji Sauce (Aji De Gallina).  Aji is a kind of pepper, also known as Peruvian hot pepper.

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The above are two types of Aji pepper which Erika introduced to us, one in the form of paste while another is whole.  Erika told us that we can find Peruvian groceries in Killarney Market at 49th Ave East Vancouver.  For the Chicken in Aji Sauce, we used Aji paste. (more…)

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Crispy Fried Chicken

This recipe is taken from an old recipe book titled Mrs. Lee’s Cookbook.  It’s a gift from a friend who bought this from a garage sales long time ago.  I made this only once in a blue moon just because Ben and the kids love fried chicken.  I do not like the oily smell that lingers in my apartment after deep frying.

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On top of that, I think dumping the oil into the garbage is not very environmentally friendly.  I usually store away the cooled oil in a glass container and dispose it in the normal garbage bin.  Is there a better way to dispose off used oil?  I know that restaurants have special disposable bins for grease.

Ingredients:

  • 1 chicken (about 2 1/2 lbs), cut into pieces & marinated & kneaded with the following:
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon five spice powder
  • 1 tablespoon cornflour
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese wine or sherry
  • 6 tablespoons water

Sweet potato flour for coating before frying.  You may use cornflour but I find that sweet potato flour gives a more crispy texture.  Click on more for the instructions. (more…)

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Star Anise Chicken

In the South Arm Community Kitchen, Jane Duo made a Chinese chicken dish.  She calls it special chicken but I think it’s more proper to call ti Star Anise Chicken.  We decided to make some Chinese food upon the request of Blanca and other non Chinese members.   They specifically requested to learn how to stir fry bok choy which I will cover later.

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This Star Anise Chicken is another very homey Chinese chicken dish.  It is flavours with star anise, ginger, soy sauce and sugar.

Ingredients

  • A whole chicken, cut into pieces or just drumsticks or wings.
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 inches ginger, sliced
  • 4 star anise
  • salt to taste
  • soy sauce
  • cooking wine
  • sesame oil

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Jane pre-marinated the chicken with some soy sauce, cooking wine and sesame oil.

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Mini Empanadas

Christina and Stella were assigned to this recipe, Mini Empanadas. However, everyone lends their helping hands when it comes to forming the Mini Empanadas. This recipe is adapted from Southern Living.  It yields 36 tiny empanadas.

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These little Latin-inspired Mini Empanadas are irresistible right out of the oven.  They’re are incredibly low in fat because they’re baked, not deep fried and yet they are crispy.  The raisins add a touch of sweetness to these empanadas.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 small onion, minced (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, minced
  • 1/2 tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped
  • 4 pimento-stuffed green olives, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons raisins
  • 2 tablespoons chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • water
  • vegetable cooking spray, or oil
  • 1 tablespoon dry breadcrumbs (optional)
  • 36 (3-inch) square wonton wrappers
  • salt to taste

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